Just as a note to anyone who has this kit, the instructions say to install the hull front/differential cover upside down. Now for my question, what kind of firepower upgrades are avaiable for this kit ? I’d like one of those long barrel, high velocity guns from late in the war but don’t even really know where to look for one.
I got the kit. I figured out the front thing when the piece wouldnt fit the way they said it was supposed too…
You could kitbash the kit with the revell kit, it has a longer(76mm?) barrel. I have seen a 1/72 sherman barrel from eduard i think, but I cant remember what size it was. Try searching around, you might find it.
I agree with Rebelreenactor. Also could use the hasegawa M4A3E8 kit (thats about as late as it gets).
If your woodworking skills are good, you can make one by taper sanding a small wood dowel. You just need to find the muzzle suppressor then.
I have the same kit when it was released under the AMT/Ertle (previously Esci?) label. Yes, dry fitting the hull front cover you will see the instructions are incorrect. But something more blatently wrong is the sherman model itself. Basically the hull doesn’t match the turrent type. This I discovered from an article http://www.ontheway.us/articles/shermanstory2.htm >>> “This is a contradictory kit. The physical quality of the model itself is really quite good, with excellent detail, high quality moldings, lots of options, plus some basic interior detail. For the most part, the size is very accurate to 1/72nd scale, with the exception of the hull length being short by about 2mm. The main drawback to this kit is that the particular combination of the late style, 47 degree, wet-stowage hull, and the 75mm turret, was not a production model. There are rumors floating around the internet that there may have been a small handful of these tanks converted to this configuration specifically for use as DD (Duplex Drive) tanks for the US invasion forces at Normandy, but I am still waiting to see firm evidence of this. To date, the only photographs I have seen, supposedly of this particular vehicle, have been of a rusting museum piece on display in Normandy, and several in-action photos, all of the dry-stowage version of this tank. I have not yet seen any photograph of the vehicle represented by this ESCI kit (i.e., wet-stowage).”
There are kits made of resin and even turned aluminum barrels to upgrade to a 76mm turret if you are willing to double, but most likely triple the cost of your build. Both Revell and Hasegawa have the larger gun shermans - but I’ve read bad reviews on these too. Eduard recently came out with 76mm Sherman along with photo-etch so hopefully this one is better.
http://www.eduard.cz/
Is there a correct turret available in a similarly priced plastic kit to use on this kit or are the changes simple to do ? Ultimate accuracy is not paramount to me, I’m building a few different subjects as a diversion from my main collection of cars but I would like to not completely thumb my nose at history. I hated the rear fenders and remover them behind the hull, does this help the turret to be more accurate ? I know enough about armor to make an idiot out of myself to someone who really knows their stuff so I always like to check.
MR makes lots of conversion kits for this kit letting you make just about any version you want.
http://www.mrmodellbau.de/mr/e/index.html
Ever notice that you dont find out about these thing’s until youve bought the kit?
Tracks & Troops in Belgium carries the Armo conversions that will make the ex-Esci/Italeri Sherman into almost any variant. Not connected with them but I have done business with them frequently with no problems. Most of the conversions run about 8 Euros and include resin parts, a PE fret and an aluminum barrel. I have the M4A1 75mm Early conversion.
http://www.tracks-n-troops.com/armo_metal_barrels.htm
The Hasegawa Sherman is slightly over scaled (too big) so that turret on the Esci/Ital hull would look too big.
BTW, the Revell M4A1 Sherman (03102) is the 76mm version that you wish to build.
The Revell m4a1 version has a 75mm turret on a late hull. A rare combination.
I put the Hasagawa’s turret on it ( a very easy conversion). Hasagawa’s hull is very underscale but the turret is about right.
I beg to differ. While I agree the Revell M4A1 has a late hull, it has 76mm turret and not a 75mm turret. The 76mm turret on the late hull is probably the most common combination for late M4A1s.
http://www.ontheway.us/reviews/RevellAG/M4A1Shermanprev.htm
Here’s the link to the description of the Revell/Matchbox/Monogram M4A1. They are all the same kit. Just different decals and the Matchbox kit is molded in white (Battle of the Bulge paint scheme).
http://community.webshots.com/photo/162527836EMlHCH
Here’s a link to a photo, presumably of the same rusting hulk to which you referred. The open hatch is clearly the large style, establishing the hull as a late model 47 degree style. The turret is clearly the 75mm variety, and the overal condition of it matches the hull, so I think one can safely assume that the turret is original to the hull after WWII. The bow portion of the DD conversion is still present, and all in all, I’ll accept that as reasonable proof of the M4A1 late hull w/75mm DD variant.
On the other hand, as far as regular, non-DD Shermans existing in the Italeri’s 1/72 configuration, I don’t buy it. I’ve seen a lot of Sherman photo’s, but I’ve never seen one in that configuartion. Every photo that I have seen that claims to be that hypothetical configuaration seems to be either a mis-ID of an early M4A1 viewed from the side-to-rear or a mis-ID M4 composite veiwed from the front.
Those converions are very nice. I just wanted a new barrel because the plastic one is kind underwhelming.
Too much esoteric detail, from Shermanaholics, eh? The simply answer then is go with either Rebel’s or I-Beam’s replys and steal the turret and gun from another kit that has the 76mm gun, i.e. Revell or Hasagawa. You do need to need to replace not only the barrel, but the entire turret, because the turret itself is different between the 75mm and 76mm guns.
No, I enjoy the minutae of all things mechanical, I just didn’t want to sink that much money in a tank the size of a Matchbox car. I’ll track down one of those other kits and do some switching. I’m trying to build all of the tanks from the computer game Battlefield 1942 in 1/72 scale. In all I’m doing a Sherman, Achilles M.II, Panzer IV, Tiger I, T-34, T-34-85, and a Chi-ha. Theres also a Wespe and a Priest and a German and American halftrack.
I’m bad, I meant the itareri kit being a 75mm turret and making the conversion that I mentioned.